RICHMOND —
The following is information about who will be on the ballot in Madison County, along with a list of scheduled candidate forums and tips on how to make sure you’re ready to vote Nov. 6.
Upcoming candidate forums
• A Richmond City Commission forum will be conducted Oct. 18, 7 p.m., at Richmond City Hall. The forum is sponsored by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and The League of Women Voters of Berea & Madison County.
The audience may submit written questions for the candidates. Those who are unable to attend may submit questions prior to the event at communications@richmondchamber.com.
There will be a live broadcast of the forum on cable Channel 12.
• A Berea City Council forum will be conducted Oct. 25, 7 p.m., in the council chambers at the Berea Police & Municipal Building. The forum is sponsored by the Berea Chamber of Commerce and The League of Women Voters of Berea & Madison County.
The audience can fill out cards to submit questions for the candidates and questions may be sent ahead of time at chamber@bereachamber.com.
There will be a live broadcast of the forum on cable Channel 12.
• A second Berea City Council forum will be conducted Oct. 30, 7 p.m., in Baird Lounge of the Alumni Building at Berea College. The forum is sponsored by Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and various Berea College student groups.
A moderator will be asking a set of prepared questions. Audience members also will have an opportunity to ask candidates questions and speak with them one-on-one over refreshments between 8:30 and 9 p.m.
Boxes have been placed around Berea College campus for students to submit questions, as well.
The Candidates
Richmond City Commission and Berea City Council
• The Richmond City Commission candidates are: Bobby Johns, Don Jaynes, Robert R. Blythe, Jim Newby, Donna Baird, Richard Thomas, Laura Durham Morgan and Jason Morgan.
• The Berea City Council candidates are: Brandon Rutherford, Chad Hembree, Diane Kerby, Virgil Burnside, Chester Powell, Ronnie Terrill, Robert “P NUT” Johnson, Violet “Vi” Farmer, Jerry A. Knowles, Richard Bellando, Jim Lucas, Jerry Little and Billy Wagers.
State Representative
Visit http://www.lrc.ky.gov/ Legislators.htm to find your district
• The 36th District candidates are: Republican Jonathan Shell and Democrat Bradley Bud Montgomery
• The 73rd District candidates are: Republican Donna Mayfield and Democrat JoEllen Reed.
• The 81st District candidates are: Republican Mary R. McGill Long and Democrat Rita H. Smart.
Nonpartisan school boards
In general, boards of education in Kentucky consist of five members. Members are elected on a nonpartison ballot in even-number years. Member serve four-year terms — staggered so that the terms of not more than three members of a local board expire at the same time, according to the Kentucky School Boards Association.
Madison County Schools
• The 1st District candidates are Kathie J.R. Bettler and John Lackey.
• The 2nd District candidates are Bill Phillips, Becky L. Coyle, Jimmy Allen and Greg Mayo.
• (The 3rd District is not on the ballot this year)
• The 4th District candidates are Christopher L. Hager and Mary J. Renfro.
• The 5th District candidates are Beth Brock, Debbie Secchio and Robert G. Stephens
Berea Independent School
The only two candidates are Van Gravitt and Will Bondurant.
If you’re not registered to vote
The deadline for voter registration is 29 days prior to the election — that’s Tuesday, Oct. 9.
Swing by the Madison County Clerk’s office at its Richmond location at 101 West Main Street (624-4738) or the Berea location at 212 Chestnut Street (624-4703) to fill out a voter registration card.
Or, visit http://elect.ky.gov/registertovote/Pages/default.aspx to fill and print out a voter registration card in PDF format.
Already registered, still confused?
To find out where to vote, visit https://cdcbp.ky.gov/VICWeb/index.jsp and enter your name and date of birth to obtain precinct and legislative district information.
A link to a sample ballot is available on that page (http://apps.sos.ky.gov/electionballots/).
Absentee voters
The last day to apply for an absentee ballot is seven days before an election. Absentee voters may contact the county clerk at 624-4738 (Richmond) or 624-4703 (Berea) to request a ballot.
The ballot must be received in the county clerk’s office by 6 p.m. local time on election day for the ballot to be counted.
Visit http://elect.ky.gov/voterinfo/Pages/absenteevoterinformation.aspx for a complete list of those who are qualified to vote by absentee ballot.
Local News
A guide to the local races
- Local News
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White Hall teachers say farewell for the summer
White Hall Elementary kindergarten assistant Patti Von Fischer said she found a poem on the Internet that seemed to fit the last day of school perfectly.
“The teachers jumped out of the windows; the principals ran for the door; the nurse and librarian bolted; they’re not coming back anymore,” Von Fischer read over the loudspeaker Friday before students left for the summer. -
Benson will be state’s third highest paid university president
When Michael Benson begins his tenure as the 12th president of Eastern Kentucky University on Aug. 1, his $400,000 salary plus benefits will make him Kentucky’s third-highest paid state university president.
Benson’s pay will be less only than that of Eli Capilouto, president of the University of Kentucky, $500,000 a year, and Gary Ransdell, president of Western Kentucky University, $423,588 a year, according to figures obtained from the state Council on Post-secondary education. -
Richmond post troopers recognized at annual ceremony
The Kentucky State Police announced the 2012 Trooper of the Year, Detective of the Year, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer of the Year and other awards for acts of bravery, life-saving, professionalism and dedication to duty Friday at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort.
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Second-grade classroom receives recognition for reading nearly 1,400 books
A project at Mayfield Elementary School has received recognition across state lines from a woman who found a balloon released in celebration of one classroom having read more than 1,000 books.
Second-grade teacher Wanda Wilson started the school year by challenging her 22 students to read a total of 1,000 books by the end of the school year. -
Pets of the Week
This week's cat is an 8-week-old female kitten. This week's dog is 1-year-old Nicki, a spayed female who does not care for horses, according to her previous owner.
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Father/Daughter Dance is June 14 at RAAC
Dads and daughters will take to the dance floor Friday, June 14, for the second annual Father/Daughter Dance to benefit the Hope’s Wings Domestic Violence Program.
The ball will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Richmond Area Arts Center, 399 W. Water St. -
Three Richmond thefts reported Tuesday-Thursday
Richmond police are investigating thefts reported from Tuesday through Thursday.
An employee of Baptist Health, Eastern Bypass, reported Thursday that her vehicle had been broken into during the evening and a small shoulder purse was stolen. The purse contained several debit/credit cards, $70 in cash, and a Pantech slider cellular telephone. Estimated loss: $595. -
Paul plans re-election bid for U.S. Senate in 2016
Republican Rand Paul will run for re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2016 regardless of any decision to launch a presidential bid. And he will campaign for his Kentucky colleague and Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2014.
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‘Etta May’s On Her Way’ for Model Lab benefit
Laughter will fill Eastern Kentucky University’s Keen Johnson Ballroom June 8 when southern comedienne Etta May comes to town for Model Laboratory School’s first annual fundraising event.
Half of the ticket proceeds will be donated to help five Model programs: Scholarships, gifted programs, the arts, athletics and extended field trips or exchange programs, said school psychologist Ellen Rini. -
Court hearing reveals errors in trafficking case’s investigative file
A discrepancy in police records led to an unusual hearing in a drug trafficking case Thursday in Madison Circuit Court.
The attorney for 49-year-old Carla Rae Clontz made a motion earlier this month for a bill of particulars hearing. Both the prosecution and defense attorneys had noticed problems with the file numbers in Clontz’ case, and there also were different reports of the number of pills sheriff’s deputies allege were found in her home. - More Local News Headlines
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